An ostomy is a surgical procedure creating an opening in the body for the discharge of body wastes. Certain diseases of the bowel may involve removing parts of the small and/or large intestine. This creates a need for an alternate way to remove feces or waste from the body. An opening is surgically created in the abdomen for body wastes to pass through and this opening is called a stoma. Different types of ostomy are performed depending on how much and what parts of the intestines are removed.
The two most common types of ostomies are colostomy and ileostomy. A colostomy is when a small portion of the colon (large intestine) is brought to the surface of the abdominal wall to allow stools or waste to be eliminated. An ileostomy is an opening created in the small intestine to bypass the colon for stool elimination. The end of the ileum, which is the lowest part of the small intestine, is brought through the abdominal wall to form a stoma.
In order to remove the waste in standard ostomy care, an adhesive is attached to the skin around the stoma, and a colostomy bag is snapped onto a plastic ring on the adhesive. Typically the bag is replaced when it is ⅓ full about 10 times a day, because if it gets too full, waste can leak between the adhesive and skin. In addition, if the bag is too full, it will spill when the bag needs emptying or replacing.
Replacing of the bag causes stress on the adhesive, leading to its frequent changing. It is important to change the adhesive as infrequently as possible, because frequent changing of the adhesive causes skin tears, which are hard to heal and are prone to infection. If bacteria contacts with the skin tears, healing of the wounds are even more difficult and can be life threatening. With existing products, liquid stool or waste almost always leaks between the adhesive and patient's body. When this occurs, the adhesive must be removed because of sanitary reasons and loss of adherence, making skin tears inevitable. This is unsanitary and unpleasant for the patients.
One solution to limit the changing of the bag and the stress it causes to the adhesive is to use gravity to drain the pouch. This typically involves having an open end to the bag, sealed by a clamp or device, which can be opened. Emptying the bag involves releasing the clamp and allowing the waste to empty into a toilet or other receptacle. This is often messy, unsanitary and unpleasant for the patient. It also puts stress on the adhesive and is especially inconvenient if it is difficult or impossible for the patient to get out of bed.
Another solution to frequent changing of the bag is to use gravity to drain the pouch into a bottle. However, the problem with this method is that the tubes leading from the bag often get clogged with fecal matter resulting in fecal matter build up and requiring frequent changing of the ostomy bag and adhesive.
Elaborate hand pumps, bottles, stoma plugs and irrigation systems have also been disclosed in patent applications. However, these are expensive, complicated and elaborate systems. In most cases, they can be dangerous and difficult to use. This is why they never made it to market.
Thus, there is a need for a new ostomy drainage system, limiting the need for frequent changing of the ostomy bag, involving more sanitary conditions and more convenience for the patient.